


His Coat, my Hand, and a Foreign Land.

by Zhou



Series: KissingZhou [1]
Category: Henry Kissinger - Fandom, Nixon in China, Zhou Enlai - Fandom
Genre: 20th Century, Alternate Universe - Politics, Authority Figures, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-22
Updated: 2015-02-22
Packaged: 2018-03-14 12:00:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,329
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3409781
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zhou/pseuds/Zhou
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An evening stroll between Henry Kissinger & Zhou Enlai.</p>
            </blockquote>





	His Coat, my Hand, and a Foreign Land.

**Author's Note:**

> Edit May 30, 2015: I tried fixing some tense errors, hopefully the fic is a bit more readable.
> 
> The events described below take place before the actual visit of Nixon to China. Rather they take place in July of 1971, a few months prior to Nixon's visit.

It seemed as though days had passed since Zhou had been called away from our meeting to greet his visitor, a North Korean Politburo. How honored I had felt in his mere presence, a man of the mandarin times passed; a last of his kind. And though he had only broken the meeting a mere three hours earlier, I sat up in my chair in the State Guesthouse eagerly awaiting tomorrow’s day of talks, unable to sleep thanks to him and his charm.

Therefore it surprised me when one of the younger members of our delegation we had picked up in Shanghai knocked on the door to the bedroom I had been graciously provided and slowly opened it with a creek.

“Dr. Kissinger?” inquired the young woman no older than 28, "You are still awake. It is nearly 11:30, you should be getting rest for tomorrow’s busy day.” 

“I am aware.” I told her quickly in an agitated tone, upset she had made reference to the time. Zhou told me he would be finished with the politburo member by 11, and perhaps would be interested in further discussing the communique if he were not too tired. The digital clock I’d been staring at since 9 now displayed 11:31.

“Oh, yes,” the woman replied, her cheeks blushing harshly at my irritated snap at her. “I merely came to see if you were awake,” she said quietly her eyes slowly falling to the floor, “The premier has telephoned inquiring whether you were resting.” 

I stood quickly from my chair and started across the room towards her excitedly, “Yes, and what did you say? I am awake! Did you tell him this?” I asked my voice livid.

“I came to check, he stands now on the telephone awaiting my reply,” said the woman looking up to see my face, a look of surprise in her own. 

I pushed past her and down the hall towards the telephone, knowing where it is I reached it with ease and picked up the receiver that had been set to the side of its base.

“Mr. Premier?” I inquired breathily, my run catching up with me.

“Dr. Kissinger,” came the calm, rich voice of the man I longed to hear, “I have returned from the opera, it tired me greatly, but I still wonder if you would like to come to Zhongnanhai to discuss the communique.” As he spoke his words were slow. I could tell he was tired, but still desired my visit.

“Mr. Premier, I shall wake my delegation and we shall arrive within the hour,” I told him a light laugh in my voice stemming from my excitement.

“No,” said Zhou his voice clear and determined, “You need not awake them, it shall be the two of us, no delegation, no translator. I shall dispatch a car to bring you.” 

With a click, Zhou was gone and I stood in a stunned silence for several moments before rushing back to my quarters. I changed out of my clothes and into freshly ironed ones, rubbing the aftershave Zhou had commented on earlier onto my neck. I stepped through the small guesthouse and to the drive where a Chinese manufactured limousine bearing shutters awaited me. I stepped in and without saying anything the driver began to drive through the dark streets of Beijing.

We arrived and I opened my own door stepping out and looking at the gates to the Zhongnanhai complex. Waiting to their side was the Premier, dressed in a traditional Zhongshan suit and wool coat. He waved and the limousine pulled away just as Zhou took a step closer to me.

“Dr. Kissinger, I am happy to see you on such a wonderful evening,” he said the tiredness in his voice becoming deeply obvious as I hear him in person, “I have been waiting to speak to you on the business of the communique.” 

I stared back at him and slowly gave him a small nod, “Indeed,” I said afraid to say anything else for fear my voice shall quiver in his presence. 

“I thought we would take a walk through the Imperial Garden,” Zhou said as he raised an arm to point to the Meridian Gate. He looked down to me with a slight smile, “Would that interest you?”

I nodded as I smiled brightly, “Yes, I would love to,” I said though my voice shook slightly in anticipation.  A slight look of concern dripped onto his face as he noded slowly, “It is a cold evening,” he stated simply, “One should wear a coat.” Zhou slowly then slipped off the woolen coat from his shoulders and took another step closer to to me as he placed it on my own shoulders. I gave a light shiver as I felt his breath on my neck.

“Thank you Mr. Premier,” I said before pausing to appreciate my heart, beating harder in my chest like it has for no other man or woman. “But I fear you may find yourself cold.”

Zhou laughed as he pat my back, “You shouldn’t worry Doctor,” he said slowly as he started to walk towards the Meridian Gate, “I have survived the cold marches of our nation’s Long March, a simple stroll through the Forbidden City shall not hurt I.” 

I nodded as I pushed my arms through the sleeves of Zhou’s coat and walked beside him slowly through the gate and into the fully illuminated Forbidden City.

“I told them to light the lights for us,” Zhou said softly as he brought an arm across my back pulling me against him as we continued through the Gate of Supreme Harmony. We walked swiftly and soon we arrived at the doors to the Hall of Supreme Harmony. Zhou opened a door and guided me in, following in after me.

“This is the Hall of Supreme Harmony?” I asked looking at the beautifully illuminated ceiling and throne.

“Yes,” Zhou said warmly as he again wrapped his arm across my back, “Many emperors have sat here, thankfully our Chairman does not dare go near the throne, what I believe holds our worlds in an even greater harmony today.” He continued to push me through, and though I wished to look at the room I had seen so many photographs and paintings of, I did not dare resist in the warm presence of Zhou.

Zhou pulled us through the hall and then through the gates to the Inner Court. I observed he avoided the Palace of Heavenly Purity, and though I wondered why we didn’t trek through it, I trust in Zhou and decide against questioning it.

“The Imperial Garden,” Zhou announced suddenly as we passed through yet another gate and found ourselves in the warmly lit garden. He turned to me with a smile on his face, “It is a beautiful place for which truly beautiful people are only permitted.” 

I gave a light chuckle, “It seems you truly adore the gardens,” I said as he pushed us nearer to the central pond and down to a bench.

“I adore the people who rest within her gates,” Zhou said softly turning to me and allowing his hand to slowly drift nearer to mine. He gave it a light squeeze and then took hold of it, slowly running his thumb across its surface.

I looked at him with a stunned look of surprise, but it slowly subsided as my smile reappeared, “I was worried,” I managed to mutter my voice muddled with excitement and admiration, “That I merely imagined your acceptance of my—” 

Zhou interrupted me with a quiet hush as he brought his face close, “Henry, you mustn’t worry about imagining.” He slowly closed his eyes and brought his lips to mine, embracing me in his warmth. 

We’d both wanted this, and though neither of us had spoken English natively, we had communicated our message of admiration through it. English was Zhou and I’s language of love.


End file.
